Villagers call on authorities to fast-track roadworks

Students from Waidina High School cross the washed out Delailasekau Rd near Nasele Village on their way home. The children walk about 5km daily to school and back home. Picture: JONE LUVENITOGA

STUDENTS of Waidina Secondary School in Naitasiri, as well as villagers of Delailasekau, Nasevou, Nasele and Naisirotu, are asking the authorities responsible for roads to fast-track repair works.

About 60 students from villages in the interior of the Naitasiri Province walk about five kilometres to reach school.

For Delailasekau villagers, they face difficulties in earning an income because they cannot take their farm produce to the Nausori and Suva markets because transportation was a problem.

The feeder road which branches off from the Wainawaqa stretch leading to Delailasekau and some villages in the Namosi Province has not been accessible to buses and carriers for over two months after flash flooding washed away an Irish crossing.

Naisirotu villager Apisai Sovatabua walks about six kilometers to get to his farm and when his farm produce is ready, he has to carry his produce on his back from his village to the other side of the road where the bus picks up passengers.

"Sometimes on Fridays, if the bus does not come up this way, we sleep at this side of the road and try and get a carrier in the morning so that we can take our farm produce to the market," Mr Sovatabua said.

"My children leave home every morning at 5am so that they can reach school before the first period.

"It has been like that for almost two months now."

Commissioner Central Lieutenant Colonel Laisiasa Tuitubou said his office had not received any reports on the damage.